What has occupied your nest box?

My first attempt at contributing to a forum, so I'm not sure if this is what I should be doing, but my nest box has been used by a Blue-tit for the past 6 years. (My husband built it with a camera inside and we were able to record the footage and I would then download it on the computer and made a DVD. As I was a teacher, I would take this into school to share with my class - who were thrilled, especially when we had eggs and they hatched) This year, as before in early September the Blue-tit has been roosting each night. HOWEVER, two nights ago I was devastated to find the box empty! And there was been no sign of the bird last night either. I can only presume, this cold snap has caused a fatality?

1. Will another bird take over the box in the spring despite their being poo on the base?

2 Will I have to wait until next years, once I have cleaned the box again in the summer?

Any comments will be gratefully received.

Hi Sue, and welcome to the forum from me.

What a wonderful experience for you and your class to watch the events inside the nest box, and for 6 years. Brilliant. I do hope your current blue tit has just found another roost and not succumbed to the cold. I will keep my fingers crossed for you ... and the little bird.

I can't answer your questions, but I'm sure someone on the forum will.

Please let us know what happens.

I have a 3 hole nest box half way up the back wall of our house, above the kitchen window with some conveniently sited drain pipes nearby in case any babies need to perch outside the box before taking that first leap into the unknown. It was put up a couple of months ago, and I put shredded paper and twigs in each of the 3 compartments. One hole is at the front, and one at each side. I have seen blue tits investigating, and possibly roosting overnight, although I don't know for sure.

This morning, I had a good look at it, and a bird has tried to remove the shredded paper from one of the compartments! It is hanging out of the hole, waving in the breeze, with some on the ground beneath. There is no way this could have happened without help from a bird.

Anyone know why a bird would do this?

As a post script to my above message, I kept a close eye on the nest box at dusk this evening and caught a blue tit going to bed in the central compartment! So now I know for sure the blue tits are using it to roost. Fingers crossed they will like it enough to make their nests in the spring. If only I had a web cam box.

Hi Coal, very good thread and interesting facts given by all that have replied.

Thought the following links might be of interest.

http://www.bto.org/nbc/index.htm

http://www.bto.org/nbc/taking-part.htm

Regards Buzzard

Hi Sparrow,

                     I'm glad for you that you have blue tits roosting. I have 4 boxes ( 3 tit, 1 robin)

                     but they have only been up since the autmn so nothing yet,

                    Coal

Hi Buzzard,

                    I am already a member of the Nest box challenge but have only been a member since Autmn so havent been able to put any info yet.

                                      Coal

Buzzard -

Thanks for the link to the BTO Nest Box Challenge. I hadn't seen this (even though I do the BTO Garden Watch weekly count). I am going to register my nest box terrace, and fingers crossed I get some action in it.

Susan H said:

Thanks for the link to the BTO Nest Box Challenge.

Your more than welcome, keep us all informed with the progress.

Buzzard